China sanctions US data firm over Xinjiang-related research
A FOREIGN ministry spokesperson on Tuesday announced China’s decision to take countermeasures against American intelligence data company Kharon and two individuals, urging the US side to stop smearing China.
According to media reports, the United States recently issued an annual human rights report related to Xinjiang and sanctioned two Chinese officials and three companies. China said it would take resolute countermeasures.
“By issuing the report, the United States once again spread false stories on Xinjiang and illegally sanctioned Chinese officials and companies citing so-called human rights issues,” spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily news briefing, adding that this move constitutes grave interference in China’s internal affairs and violates international law and the basic norms of international relations. The move is designed to vilify China and harmful to the lawful rights and interests of relevant Chinese officials and companies.
“We firmly oppose and strongly condemn the move and have made serious démarches to the US over this.”
Mao said that in accordance with its Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, China will take countermeasures against Kharon, which has long collected Xinjiang-related sensitive information and provided so-called evidence for America’s illegal sanctions related to Xinjiang; Edmund Xu, director of investigations of Kharon; and Nicole Morgret, former researcher of the Center for Advanced Defense Studies.
The two persons will be prohibited from entering China. The property of Kharon and the two persons in China will be frozen, including movable and immovable property, and organizations and individuals in China cannot have transactions and cooperation with them.
“We again urge the US side to stop smearing China, cancel the illegal unilateral sanctions on Chinese officials and companies, and stop implementing wrongful acts such as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act,” said Mao.
If the US refuses to change course, China will not flinch and will respond in kind, she added.
In response, Los Angeles-based Kharon said in a statement that it had no presence in China, so the action was “largely symbolic” and would not impact its operations or ability to service its clients.
“In service of our clients and all global businesses that seek to implement leading risk management programs, Kharon will continue to provide research and data analytics that is objective, independent, and based on reliable sources,” it said.
(Agencies)